2013 Casey Medals

Contact: Center Director Julie Drizin 301.405.8812

2013 Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism

“The Journalism Center Announces Winners of 19th Annual Contest”

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (June 28, 2013) -- Stunning images of families coping with urban poverty and gun violence. Shocking accounts of abuse at facilities for developmentally disabled youth and adults. A moving and honest story of the struggles between a single father and his adopted son. Unforgettable narratives about children who identify as transgender as toddlers and the families who accept them as they are. Investigations of dental care companies that profit off the poor while providing substandard, unnecessary procedures.

These are just some of the journalistic efforts that took first place honors in the 2013 Casey Medals, which celebrate the past year’s best reporting on children, youth and families in the U.S. The Journalism Center on Children and Families received entries representing the work of hundreds of reporters, editors, photographers and producers at more than 100 news organizations. Among the winners: The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, PBS Frontline, New York Magazine, Tampa Bay Times, WBEZ-Chicago Public Radio, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Center for Public Integrity, The Center for Investigative Reporting, The Des Moines Register, The Times of Northwest Indiana and WNYC’s Radio Rookies.

Judges sought journalism that packed a punch, stirred the conscience and made an impact; meticulously reported, powerfully delivered stories that shined a spotlight on issues, institutions and communities that rarely receive media attention. The complete list of judges is at the end of this release.

The Casey Medals are a project of the Journalism Center on Children and Families at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland. JCCF and the Medals program are funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Twelve winners will receive $1,000 at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 26. Two honorees will receive additional prizes of $5,000 from the America’s Promise Alliance, a coalition of more than 350 national organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth.

PROJECT/SERIES: Over 200,000 circulation/unique monthly digital users

WINNER: “In God’s Name,” Tampa Bay Times, Alexandra Zayas, Kathleen Flynn and Chris Davis (ed.)Some parents believe their challenging child will benefit from time in a faith-based facility that promotes discipline, respect and good behavior. Yet, too many of these group homes and boot camps are run by authoritarian individuals who use religion as a justification for physically punishing and humiliating unruly children into submission. A tenacious reporter spent a year investigating this hidden segment of Florida’s foster care industry, which operates largely outside of government regulation. As a result of this exhaustive coverage, the Governor signed a law increasing oversight of unlicensed homes, including mandatory background checks of staff. The state has removed foster children from unlicensed facilities and ordered abuse investigators to monitor complaints at religious homes. The judges called this series a piece of reporting wizardry which gave voice to survivors of trauma. They said it should be a call to action to never turn our backs.

RUNNER-UP: “Playing with Fire,” Chicago Tribune, Patricia Callahan, Sam Roe, Michael Hawthorne, George Papajohn (ed.) and Kaarin Tisue (ed.)Children in the U.S. are born with the highest recorded concentrations of toxic flame retardant chemicals among infants in the world; African American and Latino kids carry twice the body burden. Packed into crib mattresses and upholstered furniture, these substances have been linked to cancer, neurological deficits, developmental problems and impaired fertility. This investigation uncovered collusion between the chemical and tobacco industries to distort science and manipulate fire marshals in order to promote flame-retardants. As a result of the series, the Environmental Protection Agency launched investigations, the Consumer Product Safety Commission vowed to test crib mattresses, manufacturers of a flame retardant linked to cancer promised to end production of the toxic chemical, and a bipartisan effort is underway in Congress to overhaul the nation’s chemical safety law.

RUNNER-UP: “Never Let Go,” Tampa Bay Times, Kelley Benham and Mike Wilson (ed.)When their daughter was born prematurely, weighing only one pound, four ounces, journalist Kelley Benham and her husband confronted the scary and controversial questions about the medical, ethical and economic costs of saving her life. Rapid advances in science and technology are redefining viability. The series transported readers into the NICU, the incubator, into the body of a fragile newborn, and into the hearts and minds of parents balancing hope and vulnerability. Judges called it a masterfully written, relevant and boundary-breaking work.

HONORABLE MENTION: “The Day Care Threat,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, Brad Schrade, Jeremy Olson, Glenn Howatt and Dave Hage (ed.)A spike in child deaths in licensed Minnesota day cares went undetected by regulators for years, despite evidence of chronic safety problems. Journalists dug up an array of public records and pieced together the identities of victims and causes of death. Their months-long series led to tougher enforcement and a dramatic drop in the death rate at licensed day cares. The series caught the attention of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius who proposed new rules requiring extensive safety training for providers and requiring states to post day care licensing and inspection records online.

WINNER: "Children in Peril,” The Times of Northwest Indiana, Marisa Kwiatkowski and Marc Chase (ed.)Families across the U.S. who have mentally ill or developmentally disabled children struggle to get services. In Indiana, some parents are forced to “abandon” their kids or plead guilty to neglect in order to get needed intervention from the state. This series exposed a deeply dysfunctional system that is failing everyone. The reporting led public officials to invest $25 million to solve the services gap. The judges called the stories an extraordinary package, a crushing portrait that was gripping in every way a story could be.

Police within the Los Angeles Unified School District have been issuing about 10,000 court citations a year to students -- a move that some say criminalizes youth of color. Court appearances for truancy and other minor offenses disrupt a child’s education and pose a financial burden on working parents. As a result of this investigation, the U.S. Department of Education’s civil rights division began monitoring the district’s practices. The L.A. School board passed a “School Climate Bill of Rights” that limits school police involvement in matters of discipline; a similar bill is before the California legislature.

There is no HONORABLE MENTION for this category.

SINGLE ARTICLE: Over 200,000 circulation/unique monthly digital users

WINNER: “Transgender at Five,” The Washington Post, Petula Dvorak and Lynda Robinson (ed.)A moving and intimate story of parental love and acceptance recounts one couple’s decision to allow their daughter to enroll in kindergarten as a boy. The article caused a sensation in print and online, generating hundreds of thousands of pageviews, more than two thousand comments and hundreds of emails, including from people who have struggled with gender identity and parents who suspect their own child may be transgender. The judges applauded the author for gaining the trust of the family and crafting an eye-opening, accessible, elegant piece.

RUNNER-UP: “Led by an Innocent into a Web of Evil,” The Boston Globe, Jenifer B. McKim, Mark Pothier (ed.) and Brian McGrory (ed.)A single horrifying photo of a distraught toddler spurred a pair of federal agents to uncover a global child pornography ring. The reporter chronicled the investigation, which led to the arrests of 42 men and the chilling discovery of over 140 sexually exploited children. This account revealed the new tools authorities are using to rescue kids, and the devastating toll child porn takes on victims and their families.

HONORABLE MENTION: “For Poor, Leap to College Often Ends in a Hard Fall,” The New York Times, Jason DeParle and Rebecca Corbett (ed.)Is education the great equalizer? Gaps in performance between affluent and low-income students in the U.S. are growing. This piece follows three promising high school graduates from Galveston, Texas, who believed a college education would help them break out of poverty. Five years later, they’ve been left with debt and disillusion and no degree. The story puts a human face on inequality and probes a variety of obstacles that low-income students encounter on the path to achieve their dream of moving up the socio-economic ladder.

WINNER: “I Boy,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mark Johnson and Greg Borowski (ed.)Her first sentence at age two -- “I Boy” -- was repeated so often that Izzy’s family could no longer deny their daughter’s declaration of male identity. This story blended the latest scientific debates over gender with the familiar rhythms of daily life, challenging readers’ assumptions and beliefs. The judges called it an evocative, nuanced and fresh look at the soul of gender identity, a compelling and beautifully written article that deepens our understanding, and builds sensitivity and acceptance of transgender people.

RUNNER-UP: “Special Education,” The Baltimore Sun, Erica Green, Laura Smitherman (ed.) and Jen Badie (ed.)A quarter-century into an unprecedented level of court and state oversight of special education within Baltimore public schools, problems still persist in guaranteeing equal and quality education for students with disabilities. Spurred on by desperate parents trying to secure services for their children, The Baltimore Sun investigated the system’s progress meeting the needs of its most challenging students. The judges called it hard-hitting accountability reporting.

HONORABLE MENTION: “Despite Changes, More Kids are Dying,” San Antonio Express-News, Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje and Audrey Lee (ed.)Bexar County, Texas, had more confirmed cases of abused and neglected children than Houston, with triple the juvenile population. A record number of children in the county died from abuse and neglect in 2011, many in families that had already been investigated by Child Protective Services. The reporter’s investigation examined how state budget cuts for prevention and early intervention may have contributed to these child fatalities.

OPINION

WINNER: “Justice for Juveniles,” The Des Moines Register, Andie DominickA revelatory and accessible series of editorials highlighting the consequences of criminalizing youth. The series covered racial disparities in sentencing, police presence in public schools, and the impact of a juvenile record on college and job applications. These editorials garnered interest from state lawmakers and led to a new Court Watcher program in which volunteers are trained to observe and document the goings-on in juvenile court.

RUNNER-UP: “Editorials on the Confidentiality of Kentucky Child Protection,” The Courier Journal (Louisville, Ky.), Deborah G. Yetter and Pam Platt (ed.)Child deaths due to abuse or neglect are among the most difficult stories journalists cover. This reporting is made more challenging if a state invokes confidentiality policies that prevent news media from learning the details of a case. This series of editorials argued forcefully that secrecy makes it impossible for the press and public to hold officials accountable or push for improvements in child welfare services. As a result, the Kentucky legislature passed and the governor signed a new law creating a permanent, outside panel of experts to review child neglect and abuse deaths in the state with greater transparency.

HONORABLE MENTION: “A Terrible Way to Discipline Children,” The New York Times Sunday Review, Bill LichtensteinAfter learning that his 5-year-old daughter had been repeatedly locked in a converted closet in her elementary school, the author exposed the largely unknown use of seclusion rooms and physical restraints as forms of punishment in schools around the U.S. The piece attracted a flood of media attention to the issue, sparked tremendous response from readers, and helped coalesce a national effort to end these practices and promote positive behavior interventions in schools.

MAGAZINE/NONDAILY

WINNER: “31 Shocks Later,” New York Magazine, Jennifer Gonnerman and Raha Naddaf (ed.)An investigation of how a mentally disabled teenager was rendered catatonic after six hours of punishing electroshocks inflicted by staff at a residential facility for behavior modification. After the publication of this story, the Food and Drug Administration warned the Rotenberg Center to stop using the shock device, and elected officials in two states challenged the practice. The judges in this category called this story an extraordinary piece of watchdog reporting that breaks through compassion fatigue and holds individuals and institutions accountable for their appalling treatment of children.

RUNNER-UP: “School of Hate,” Rolling Stone, Sabrina Rubin Erdely and Sean Woods (ed.)Nine students in Minnesota’s largest school district committed suicide during a two-year period. This deeply reported and haunting story looks at the lives of those teens, and the anti-gay policies and bullying that led to their deaths. A week after the exposé hit the newsstands, the Anoka-Hennepin school district voted to revamp its “No Promo Homo” rules which forbade teachers and administrators from mentioning homosexuality in school or supporting LGBT students.

HONORABLE MENTION: “Other Victims,” Catalyst Chicago, Sarah Karp, Rebecca Harris and Lorraine Forte (ed.)Murders and non-fatal shootings are at epidemic levels in the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago. Children who witness this violence carry their pain and anger into school, where they are more likely to act out and lose interest in academics. Catalyst dedicated an entire issue to the woeful lack of school-based mental health services available to help student survivors and witnesses of violence cope with trauma. Educators and child advocates requested and distributed hundreds of copies of the edition.

Highly original first person accounts that bring honesty and humor to the complex dramas of teenage life today: “slut-shaming” on the Internet, stop and frisk by police, living with sickle cell anemia, and trying to beat the odds of graduating while black and male. The judges called this series of audio pieces candid, raw and compelling.

HONORABLE MENTION: “Autism as Identity, Not a Disease,” The Michigan Daily, Jennifer Xu and Jacob Axelrad (ed.)A profile of an autistic college professor who has become an activist challenging the prevailing notion that autism needs a cure. The provocative piece was widely read and gave voice to a burgeoning disability rights movement. The article also engendered roundtable discussions and a forum on campus on neurodiversity called “Autism Speaks Back.”

PHOTOJOURNALISM

WINNER: “Camden, NJ: No place to grow up, ” The Philadelphia Inquirer, April SaulCamden has been named the poorest and most violent city in the United States, but it has captured the heart of this photojournalist, who has made the city and its residents her unofficial beat. The judges praised her tenacity and grace in capturing the tragic consequences of living in persistent poverty, but also the hope and joy found in the community. They called it a stellar body of work that evokes empathy.

RUNNER-UP: “A Grandfather’s Sorrow and Love,” The Sacramento Bee, Renée C. Byer and Mark Morris (ed.)After his wife died of cancer, Impressionist painter Don Hatfield faced yet another shocking loss. His daughter was stabbed to death by her husband. At age 64, Hatfield gained custody of his three grandchildren, ages 4, 2 and 9 months. This photographic package captures the range of emotions of someone struggling to cope with unexpected, life-altering events and the challenges facing older adults who must raise their grandchildren.

WINNER: “Broken Shield,” Center for Investigative Reporting-California Watch, Ryan Gabrielson, Carrie Ching, Agustín Armendariz, Mark Katches (ed.) and Robert Salladay (ed.) An 18-month investigation uncovered egregious and unprosecuted cases of rape, torture and beatings of patients with severe autism, cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities living at state-run residential facilities. Reporters found that the law enforcement agency tasked with investigating these incidents failed to do its job, even as officers doubled their salaries through fraudulent claims of overtime. This series wound up on the front pages of eight of California’s largest newspapers and the video aired in every major market. One advocate told CIR, “This is the type of reporting that ends up actually saving lives.” Indeed, the state passed new laws, ordered criminal investigations, and created a task force to consider the future of the developmental centers.

RUNNER-UP: “Ghost Factories,” USA Today, Alison Young, Peter Eisler and John Hillkirk In 2001, the Environmental Protection Agency was warned that soil in hundreds of neighborhoods might be contaminated with lead from long-forgotten factories. But regulators ignored the dangers, leaving thousands of American families in harm’s way. Reporters set out to do what regulators did not: investigate all 464 suspected lead factories by digging out old maps and testing soil samples. They found out that kids across the U.S. are living and playing on land where lead levels are five to 10 times what the EPA considers hazardous to human health. Because of this investigation, the EPA has created a national smelter strategy; the agency is testing and replacing soil in several sites around the country.

HONORABLE MENTION: “68 Blocks: Life death hope,” The Boston Globe, Globe Staff and Brian McGrory (ed.)The sound of gunfire is so frequent in the Boston neighborhood of Bowdoin-Geneva that some residents no longer flinch. After a series of deadly shootings, The Globe immersed five reporters plus a dozen photographers, videographers, data analysts, and graphic artists to show the legacy of violence, as well as the struggles and joys of life there. Embedded journalists had to build trust in a community used to being ignored or stigmatized as crime-infested. This series produced a massive response from readers, leading The Globe to launch a series of community forums to keep the conversation going.

AUDIO

WINNER: “Mike and Victor: A family story,” WBEZ Chicago Public Media, Alex Kotlowitz, Amy Drozdowska and Cate Cahan (ed.)What constitutes a family? This unforgettable narrative tells the surprising journey of a 24-year-old single white man and a 9-year-old African American boy who decide to become a family, despite resistance from the courts and many personal challenges. The judges called it masterful storytelling that brings to life many important topics, such as foster care, interracial adoption, sexuality and forgiveness.

RUNNER-UP: “Grit, Luck and Money: Preparing kids for college and getting them through,” American RadioWorks, Emily Hanford, Suzanne Pekow, Stephen Smith (ed.) and Catherine Winter (ed.)More people are going to college than ever before, but a lot of them aren’t finishing. Low-income students, in particular, struggle to get to graduation. Only nine percent complete a bachelor’s degree by age 24. Why do so many students quit? This enterprising documentary introduces listeners to young people trying to break into the middle class and explores the internal and external forces that enable some to beat the odds.

HONORABLE MENTION: “Grandma Can’t Take Your Call: Inmates disconnected by phone costs,” WBEZ Chicago Public Media, Rob Wildeboer and Cate Cahan (ed.)Prison inmates in Chicago were forced to pony up $15 for 15 minute telephone calls, an inflated rate that made keeping in touch with families unaffordable. WBEZ told the stories of people affected by these exorbitant fees and forced public officials to explain the policy. As a result of this reporting, Cook County renegotiated its phone contract and cut rates by nearly 75 percent, saving poor residents almost $4 million a year.

VIDEO: Short form

WINNER: “Courting Disaster,” KCET, Karen Foshay, Jennifer London and Michael Bloecher (ed.)Inside the cramped courtrooms of Los Angeles Dependency Court, life-changing decisions can be made in a matter of minutes, sometimes by judges who have no experience with juvenile court or knowledge of the cases. California’s fiscal crisis has led to deep budget cuts that are devastating and paralyzing the courts, resulting in soaring caseloads for attorneys and social workers, and greater vulnerability for desperate families. The judges praised the reporter for successfully gaining camera access to the courtroom and called this investigation an alarming piece of local news reporting that shines a vital light on the impact of California’s budgetary crisis on families. This story got the attention of court officials, legislators and advocates throughout the state.

RUNNER-UP: “Marcus Buggs: Michigan Teen Chases His Dream,” Detroit Free Press, David Jesse, Eric Seals and Kathy Kieliszewski (ed.)He saw his father get killed when he was only nine; his mom went in and out of jail. Marcus Buggs was forced to grow up too fast, with four younger siblings to help raise. Still, he dreamed of going to college and making a new destiny for himself. His high school principal became his mentor and a strong black male role model who pushed him to succeed. In response to this moving profile, the president of Western Michigan University gave Marcus Buggs a full scholarship. The judges said this in-depth portrait should be shown in high schools across the U.S.

HONORABLE MENTION: “Men in Wheelchairs,” The Washington Post, Whitney Shefte and Theresa Vargas Each Tuesday afternoon in the basement of a rehabilitation hospital in Washington D.C., the Urban Re-entry Group holds a meeting. These are the survivors of gun violence who face a life of paralysis, disability and dependency. Some were wounded in their youth. Led by a psychotherapist, this brotherhood of African American men gather to support one another and cope with the lingering aftermath of street violence. Judges called it an original approach to the subject.

VIDEO: Long form

WINNER: “Dollars and Dentists,” PBS Frontline and The Center for Public Integrity, Jill Rosenbaum, David Heath, Miles O’Brien, Katie Taber, Carl Byker, Gale Sargent, Mark Rublee, Raney Aronson Rath (ed.), David Fanning (ed.), Ellen Weiss, and Philip Bennett (ed.)Tooth decay is now the most common chronic illness among school-age children. Even though half of American children depend on public insurance for care, many dentists don’t accept Medicaid and CHIP. More than a dozen corporate-owned dental chains have moved into this void, hoping to profit off of low-income patients through assembly-line dentistry, sometimes providing unnecessary, painful and excessive treatments. Reporters also spotlighted a nonprofit dental clinic that could become a national model for affordable, low-cost, high-quality treatment for children covered by Medicaid. This devastating documentary has caught the eyes of members of Congress, state legislators and criminal investigators. The judges praised the producers for taking a comprehensive look at deceptive, predatory practices and the woeful dental care afforded America’s poor. They called the program public service journalism at its best.

RUNNER-UP: "Crossing the Line at the Border," PBS Need to Know and The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute, John Carlos Frey, John Larson, Brian Epstein, Judith Starr Wolff, Marc Rosenwasser (ed.) and Esther Kaplan (ed.)Part OnePart Two

A two-part investigation uncovered the beating death of a handcuffed, undocumented immigrant by U.S. Border Patrol agents, as well as disturbing incidents of detainee abuse including sexual assault, and denial of food, water and medical attention. Reporters gathered eyewitness testimony and a cellphone video of the incident. These stories garnered international attention and led to a federal investigation and full-scale review of use of force by border agents.

HONORABLE MENTION: "Inocente," Shine Global Inc, Andrea Nix Fine, Sean Fine, Yael Melamede, Albie Hecht, Susan Maclaury, Ryan A. Brooks, Kari Kim, Rob Henninger, Anne Marler, Alexandra Blaney and Jeff ConsiglioAn intensely personal coming-of-age documentary about a vibrant Latina teenager who refuses to allow her struggles with poverty, homelessness or her undocumented status get in the way of her artistic talent or her dreams. The film has been shown in schools across the U.S. along with a free, standards-based curriculum and companion arts workshops. Inocente brought her concerns to Washington D.C., where she met with members of Congress who also viewed the documentary about her life.

In 2009, America’s Promise Alliance joined with the Journalism Center on Children & Families to launch its first annual journalism awards for excellence in coverage of youth issues. The America’s Promise Journalism Awards honor journalists whose work helps raise national awareness about the needs of the young and inspire communities to put the needs of children and youth first. Each recipient receives a $5,000 honorarium from the Alliance in addition to receiving the Casey medal. Winners are announced at the awards dinner in September.

About

About

The Journalism Center on Children & Families (JCCF) (1993-2014) was devoted to deepening media coverage on issues that affect children, youth and families, particularly the disadvantaged. JCCF provided an array of informational services and connected professional journalists, students and advocates to an extensive network of journalists and content experts. JCCF was based at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

What We Did

JCCF curated daily news content and cutting-edge research about children and families from a wide variety of media, government, academic and public policy sources. The Center provided guidance to journalists seeking sources, tips, experts, data or assistance with ethical dilemmas.

History

JCCF was launched in 1993 with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to create a professional community of practice for reporters whose primary beat was covering children and families. Over 21 years, JCCF offered conferences and fellowship programs to enhance skills and knowledge on a variety of issues, from juvenile justice to preschool education, welfare reform to health care. With support from the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Center created “Beyond The Headlines,” an in-depth resource for reporting on child sexual abuse. The Center produced “When a Child Dies,” an interactive online training module to assist reporters covering child deaths. And, the Center created "LIFELINES: Stories from the Human Safety Net," which included original reporting and resources for reporting on social work.

Find an Expert

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Best Practices

The best way to learn is by doing. The next best way is by listening, watching, and observing. Journalists who cover the complex issues affecting children, youth and families have a wealth of experiences and insights. JCCF tapped into this expertise and shared their lessons learned in an series or stories called “Best Practices.”

Training Modules

JCCF offered training for established and emerging journalists. Our in-depth modules include facts, tips, guidelines and resources to help you do journalism better.

Children's Beat Magazine

JCCF once published a print magazine featuring commentary, resources and best practices from journalists in the field. That magazine ceased publication years ago, but you can access the archive and find excellent coverage of the challenges facing reporters on the “Children’s Beat.”